Recall intervals: effect on treatment needs: a retrospective study.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the effect of recall intervals on the incidence of dental caries. Data were collected from patient records of a private pediatric dental practice. Variables examined were time of the recall interval, age, race and sex of the patient, and whether the patient lived in a fluoridated area. There were 207 patients who qualified for the study. Of the 207 patients in the study, 173 did not have any teeth with dental caries at the recall visit. A significant difference between increased caries activity and recall interval was not found in this study. There was no significant difference found between the explanatory variables and caries activity.